Ideonella
| Ideonella | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Bacteria |
| Phylum: | Proteobacteria |
| Class: | Betaproteobacteria |
| Order: | Burkholderiales |
| Family: | Comamonadaceae |
| Genus: |
Ideonella Malmqvist et al. 1994, gen. nov. |
| Type species | |
|
Ideonella dechloratans |
|
| Species | |
Ideonella is a genus of Comamonadaceae bacteria.
In 2016 I. sakaiensis was shown to degrade PET, a polymer widely used in food containers, bottles and synthetic fibers. Adhered to a low-grade PET film, the bacteria used two novel enzymes to decompose the plastic into two environmentally benign substances, which served as their main food source.
A colony of I. sakaiensis could completely degrade a low-grade plastic water bottle in six weeks. Higher-grade PET products would require heating and cooling to weaken it before bacteria could start eating.
The bacteria could also be used to reduce industrial waste during plastics manufacturing.
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Wikipedia